Memphis After Dark
by Lady Trek
Summary: The Good Doctor and Clarice meet up where it all began, Memphis, TN. PG-13 for cussing. Chpt 2 up!
1. Road Trip

In the darkness of the night, there was heard a rustling sound. A black and brown cat gracefully walked over the rooftops of cars in a Rental Car Parking Lot.  
  
It was one of the few rental places that remained open as long as there were incoming airport flights. And on this night, there were still quite a few to come in before the rental store could close for the weekend.  
  
After a few roundabout stops to switch flights, and thus elude possible captors, Clarice Starling's flight finally landed in Nashville, where the Rental Car was still awaiting any last minute customers.  
  
She didn't carry much, but it was enough to make her wish she had left more than a little behind. Shaking her head softly, she waited in line to board the shuttle bus that would take her to the rental agency.  
  
As she left the Rental Lot, and got firmly settled in the SUV's comfortable seats, she finally let her mind wander to the purpose for her visit. Though she had no disillusions that she was here officially, as a FBI Special Agent, she still felt immensely comforted by the presence of her gun, and surprisingly repulsed by the fact that her Badge had sneaked its way into her purse. With or without the badge, it made no difference. She was here because he – Dr. Hannibal Lecter – had asked her to come. The reasons behind this were as unknown to her as the reason she came.  
  
The meeting place was almost ridiculously hilarious: Memphis Tennessee. The place where, she later reflects, 'it' all first started. No, not in the dark and musty corridor and cell of the Baltimore Asylum as she first assumed; for this was where she had first been made aware of the fact that perhaps, just perhaps, the FBI was not all it was cracked up to be. No. After Memphis, the dreams started. She started hearing his voice in her head, and hoping that someday they could perhaps meet without bars, or any other barrier between them.  
  
So it was somewhat comical that he should choose this place, among so many, for their meeting. On the other hand, it was puzzling. Not a year ago, the events leading up to and following the Drumgo Fiasco occurred, including most notably the Chesapeake (for lack of a better description).  
  
Her thinking had changed none too subtly since then. Her demeanor towards her coworkers and supervisors back at Quantico was barely on the civil side, but despite her annoyance with them, she was still polite – almost to the point where it drove her would be attackers to insanity.  
  
Yet another thing she had learned from Dr. Lecter. Sometimes, she reflected, it is better to listen to him, 'monster' that he is.  
  
It was late, yes, but Starling had set for herself a very strict deadline for which to be within the city limits of Memphis. The usual 3 hours in route from Nashville to Memphis would have to be cut down as much as possible (preferably avoiding a speeding ticket along the way).  
  
As soon as she got to Memphis, her first priority would be to check into a hotel. Preferably one of the nicer ones, though Starling was no stranger when it came to 'making do' with whatever fate gave her. But for now, her sole priority was staying alert, and actually getting to Memphis in once piece.  
  
When the shrill sound of her cell phone cut through the relative silence of the cab, she nearly jumped, and barely managed to suppress a yelp of surprise. Rummaging slightly through her purse, she retrieved the cell phone. She put the earpiece in her ear, and clicked "Talk".  
  
"Starling." She said almost gruffly. It was rather hard for her to believe that anyone would choose this time of night to call her, unless it was someone from the Bureau. She ruled out that possibility almost as soon as she thought of it. No one from the FBI had made the slightest attempts to phone her, or even talk to her beyond what was utterly required. More than a few of her coworkers were put off by the fact that she had survived a meeting with Hannibal The Cannibal, let alone tried to save him.  
  
"Now, now, Clarice. It's hardly polite to answer your phone with such a tone of voice." The strangely soothing voice of Doctor Lecter cut in from the other end.  
  
"Doctor Lecter. I'm sorry, I just didn't expect anyone to be calling this time of night." She said apologetically.  
  
"Quite alright, Clarice. How was your flight?"  
  
"Better than flying in the Blue Canoe, I must say. A little on the noisy side, though. Thank you." She paused briefly. "I'm on the outskirts of Nashville now, somewhere on the highway." She had anticipated his next question, and was rewarded with a slight chuckle in response.  
  
"I must admit, I had very little hopes that you would actually take me up on my offer. Why did you decide to indulge me, Clarice? Trying to lull me into a false sense of security before taking me in to your beloved FBI?"  
  
"No! No, nothing like that, Dr. Lecter. Honestly, I don't know why I did. I was wondering that myself…along with why you asked me in the first place. One would think that after the Chesapeake that you would not want to see me again, unless for revenge of some sort."  
  
At this he laughed. "Revenge! What a delightful thought. But no, I would never exact revenge upon you, Clarice. I do, however, believe that quite a few issues were left unresolved. The mere fact that you are coming is just begging to be analyzed. Perhaps it's a last ditch attempt by an aging madman to have some kind of resolution in my life…or perhaps a try at happiness…" he let that thought hang in the air. Starling, a little amazed, and a little bit apprehensive of his statement, didn't reply.  
  
"Are you still there, Clarice?" he asked somewhat playfully, the seriousness of the previous statement forgotten.  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Good, wouldn't want to loose you after you've come this far, now would I? Now, what are your plans upon arrival?"  
  
"Check in to a hotel, find somewhere to eat, then hopefully sleep. Though in what order, I don't know."  
  
"I can help with at least one of those, Clarice. You will be staying in the Memphis Peabody hotel…one of the better establishments in Memphis that I had no time to visit during my previous stay. Beyond that, I cannot help you. There are a few restaurants in the hotel, and their room service, I have heard, is quite nice. Though whether or not you'll even make it that far, well, that's up to your state of rest. Your check in name is Beatrice Marcus."  
  
~Beatrice Marcus…there's got to be something behind that~ Starling thought. She shrugged and switched lanes.  
  
"Thank you, Doctor Lecter. How will I know to contact you?"  
  
"Don't, I will contact you. Be sure to keep your cell phone charged up, Clarice. I'd hate to have you miss my call after all this trouble we went through to get here…" 


	2. Setting the Scenes

Clarice grumbled to herself all the way to Memphis, and was, indeed, still rumbling when she finally made it to the Peabody Hotel, at around 4:15 A.M. She parked the rental car out front, and gave the keys to the Valet. With barely a glance at the impressive entrance, she made her way quickly towards the front desk.  
  
"May I help you, Ma'am?" the woman behind the counter asked.  
  
"Yes. I believe I have a reservation for Beatrice Martin?" Clarice said with all the confidence she could muster.  
  
"Ah, yes ma'am. Charles will show you to your room." The woman offered a wide smile as motioned a bellboy over.  
  
With a sigh, she shook her head and followed Charles up to her room.  
  
"Here is your room, ma'am." Charles unlocked the door for her, and handed her the key. Clarice fished out a couple bills from her pocket and gave them to him with a slight smile.  
  
"Thank you" she said as she entered…then immediately stopped. She looked around her in awe. This room, quite obviously, was a suite. She had never before set foot in one, whether during an investigation, or otherwise. She continued to walk around the room, taking it all in. It was all vaguely registering as something –He- would like. When she set foot in the bathroom, and set her eyes on the bathtub, she was more impressed by the tub than she was with the rooms themselves.  
  
Clarice made her way back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed to test its firmness. It was soft…but not too soft… Within minutes, Clarice was fast asleep.  
  
**********  
  
As Clarice's foggy mind struggled to wake, it halfway registered a noise…unidentifiable in her current state. Her training kicking in, she immediately reached for her sidearm, and groggily aimed it around the room, trying to identify the source of the commotion. She nearly pulled the trigger as her phone rang again. Mutely cursing herself under her breath, she picked up the offending object, which had managed to find it's way into the charger, one of the first things she did when she arrived, and pressed talk.  
  
"Starling" she said groggily.  
  
"My, my, Clarice. We are going to have to work on the proper phone etiquette, aren't we?" she could just sense his amusement, which didn't give her any at all.  
  
"Good morning Doctor Lecter." She said, more awake now.  
  
"Ah, that's better, My Dear. Now, how about a nice breakfast, hmm? There is just enough time to order breakfast from the many selections of Hotel restaurants downstairs. Oh and Clarice? May I remind you that we are in a public place, furthermore, you are the one that decided to come to me, not the other way around. Please show courtesy…you know how I feel about the rude" he let the comment hang in the air.  
  
"Doctor Lecter, I-"  
  
"Ah ah, Clarice, I will have no arguments. We have a busy day ahead of us. Your mother undoubtedly taught you that a good breakfast was the start to a good day. I know my mother certainly did. See you in a bit, Clarice." She immediately heard the dial tone.  
  
For a few moments, all she could do was stare open-mouthed at the phone, before setting it on the nightstand and bringing a hand to rub the bridge of her nose.  
  
"What I would give for a Jack and Coke right about now..." she muttered under her breath as she stood to get ready for the day ahead. Just what she had always wanted, a day with a Cannibal…or was it what she had always wanted? Wasn't he all that she had ever wanted in a man: intelligent, talented, handsome, not to mention his voice…  
  
With a mental slap, and a very real pinch, Clarice brought her mind back to the task at hand, forgetting the 'scandalous' thoughts.  
  
**********  
  
A mere 20 minutes later, for Clarice had never been one for primping, she made her way down stairs in search of a decent-yet-cheap restaurant. Deciding on one called "Dux" she entered and was seated near the middle of the place, at a table. Within a matter of minutes, she had decided what she wanted to eat, a simple muffin and a cup of hot, black coffee.  
  
She idly amused herself as her food was brought out by reading the mini-menus provided at each table, showcasing their Breakfast, lunch, and dinner favorites. She didn't notice the waiter until he sat the food in front of her along with her coffee. He departed with a smile, though it was quite barely returned.  
  
Clarice had barely taken a single bite out of her muffin when she felt, rather than heard, his presence. She glanced up from the menu to see him standing across from her. She hurriedly swallowed, and motioned to the chair across from her.  
  
"Good morning, Doctor. Please, have a seat. Would you like for me to get the waiter for you?" she asked politely.  
  
"No, thank you. I have already eaten." He studied her intently for a moment. "How are you this morning, Clarice?"  
  
"I'm fine, thanks. Yourself?" she asked, avoiding the question.  
  
"You are most certainly not fine, however, I shall overlook it this once. I am doing quite well" he took in her appearance with one glance. At this, Clarice made a face.  
  
"I did not anticipate needing anything other than my normal attire." She said in defense.  
  
"Ah. That can be easily remedied, should the need arise." Doctor Lecter glanced at her barely touched 'breakfast'. "Not hungry, Clarice? Come now, you mustn't let it go to waste, what little there is." He said in regards to her skimpy meal.  
  
She acknowledged him only by taking a small bite from her muffin and sipping on her coffee. He would never let her know this, but he did enjoy watching her eat. ~Maybe someday I will have the pleasure of cooking for her...~ he thought to himself as Clarice finished off the muffin, and drained her coffee. She went for her pocket, but he shook his head, ever the gentleman, and set out a few bills.  
  
"Shall we?" he asked as he stood, and pulled out her chair. Unable to refuse, let alone tear her eyes from his, she nodded mutely and stood beside him.  
  
Doctor Lecter led her from the restaurant with a guiding hand on the small of her back as he gently steered her towards the main entrance, and a sleek light blue BMW convertible that waited. He noticed her reaction to the Beamer and smiled slightly.  
  
"A jag would be too conspicuous, as it seems a certain individual who knows my tastes rather well…"he smiled again, "has informed the FBI of them, making it rather hard, but not impossible, to indulge myself." The smile never leaving his face, even under her glare, he opened the passenger side door for her.  
  
"Come, My Dear, our first day begins now." She said nothing as she got into the small, luxurious car and buckled her seatbelt. Doctor Lecter calmly walked around the front of the car, got in the driver's side, buckled his belt, with his scarred left hand, and then started the engine. 


End file.
